Manufacturing in the Midwest

Peggy shares her list of top 5 trends from 2025 that were discussed on the show. She says we must learn from 2025 in order to head into 2026 stronger than ever before—and we must learn from the past year to prepare for the next. She also discusses: · The rise of agentic AI (artificial intelligence) in 2025. · Two vertical industries that saw major disruption in 2025. · How the workforce fit into all these conversations.  https://peggysmedleyshow.com

Peggy Smedley and Kiva Allgood, advisor, World Economic Forum, talk about how lessons can help guide the next era of manufacturing. She says the World Economic Forum works at the intersection of industry, academia, and policy—and also as a part of that it gets the opportunity to pause, as part of the Global Lighthouse Network. They also discuss: · The IoT (Internet of Things) and the importance of machine data—and how the hype cycle and the investment cycle play out. · How to scale effectively in small, medium, and large companies. · The talent gap in small and medium-sized enterprises—and the direct correlation between people and tech. http://www.weforum.org

Peggy Smedley and Dan Miklovic, founder, Lean Manufacturing Research and leader, Third Eye Advisory, look back at the biggest trends from 2025. He says everyone has been bombarded with AI: Q1 was gen AI and we hadn't got halfway through the year before the conversation switched to agentic AI—and manufacturers don't move that fast. They also discuss: · The next evolution of a smart factory—and the role of AI. · How to best use data in manufacturing. · The employment numbers—and the importance of having the right people. https://thirdeyeadvisory.com/

Peggy Smedley and cohost Dennis Draeger, foresight director, Shaping Tomorrow, unpack aiglatson. He says it is an emotional word, specifically about the future—or more specifically a sentimental longing for the future, which is the opposite of future shock. They also discuss: · The marriage metaphor and how it applies to aiglatson. · The importance of counting the costs of whatever decisions you make right now. · Where the vision for data centers and AI (artificial intelligence) comes from—and the ethics around it. http://peggysmedleyshow.com

AI (artificial intelligence) or die? Is construction the next frontier for AI? Peggy Smedley and Timber Barker, CEO and founder, Boom Interactive, talk about why there needs to be a platform that turns floor plans into living records, unifying project data and unlocking spatial detail for AI innovation. He says this is a very exciting time for the construction industry—and it is a little protected. They also discuss: · If there will be an AI bubble that will burst—and how it compares to the dot-com bubble. · The three layers of AI in construction. · What the future of software will look like. https://www.boominc.ai/

Peggy unpacks the numbers that show the cost of downtime in the manufacturing industry, saying organizations need to treat reliability as a core business strategy. She says we need to start taking a proactive approach to downtime prevention and leverage AI (artificial intelligence) and the IoT (Internet of Things). She also discusses: How many U.S. manufacturers were hit by unplanned downtime in the past year. How much money of lost capital there is every week. How many say their companies take a reactive approach to maintenance. http://peggysmedleyshow.com

Peggy Smedley and Tim Carpenter, president and CEO, Timpte, and Andy Bednar, general manager, Lincoln Manufacturing Center, talk about a new $28 million facility investment, what it produces, and key drivers for opening the facility. Carpenter explains why the business was created and how it serves its customers—and how things evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bednar talks about the pride of having the business in the community.  They also discuss:        > Tariffs and the importance of being laser focused.        > Why diversification is key to keeping people gainfully employed.        > Technologies used such as ERP (enterprise-resource planning) and predictive analytics. http://www.timpte.com/

Peggy Smedley and James Bohnaker, senior economist, Cushman & Wakefield, discuss tariffs and where the construction industry is headed. He says there is still a lot of uncertainty and it is shifting a lot. They also discuss: · Recent U.S. trade policies impacting construction materials. · Who bears the burden of the cost. · The broader implication for tech and building infrastructure like data centers. https://www.cushmanwakefield.com

Peggy talks about a new benchmark that tests AI models on real freelance projects—and what percentage of AI systems complete tasks at professional human standards. She says we need to consider AI our partner in crime, but we need to determine how to augment, not replace. She also discusses: · The state of the market. · Some of the biggest hurdles we still face today. · How two key trends are colliding at the exact same time. http://peggysmedleyshow.com

Peggy Smedley and Eddie Hartman, partner & board member at Simon-Kucher Partners, and coauthor of Scaling Innovation: How Smart Companies Architect Profitable Growth, talk about why startups fail. He says if you created something people want to buy and pay for, then your startup wouldn't fail, and we must begin with the question: but do they? They also discuss: · Pricing, packaging, and go-to-market strategy. · The Blockbuster phenomenon—and how markets shift. · What a single-engine track is—and how to become a profitable growth architect. https://www.simon-kucher.com/